Tissue engineering is an approach for regeneration, replacement, and improvement of the functions of damaged tissues by manipulating materials according to the specific structure or function of the desired tissues. Porous and biodegradable polymer scaffolds are utilized as a structural supporting matrix or as a cell adhesive substrate for cell-based tissue engineering. A major side effect of the surgical implantation of three dimensional scaffolds is the trauma created by physicians while treating patient illness. For example, current technologies for the surgical implantation of three dimensional scaffolds involve incisions that lead to patient pain, bleeding, and bruising. As such, there is a pressing need in the art to develop less invasive structured polymer scaffolds.